Protocol for Giving SPS Writing Tasks:







Grade
Informative Writing Task
Administration Dates
Opinion Writing Task
AdministrationDates
Narrative
Dates
K
Draw and write about what you learned about a farm animal.
Completion by end of May
Which Jan Brett story do you like more, The Mitten or The Hat?
Completion by end of February
Write about a your first day of school.
.
End of September
1
What happens in Spring?
Completion by end of March
What should the boy in Phillip Hoose’s Hey Little Ant do?
Completion by end of May
Write about your first day of school.
End of September
2
Choose an animal from a leveled Reader from "Rainforest Babies". Write about what makes that animal unique.
Completion by end of February
Which do you think is the best pet for a kid, a dog or a cat?
Completion by end of May
Write about your first day of school.
End of September
3
What events led to Ben Franklin becoming famous?
Completion by end of February
Should the USA keep or get rid of the penny?
Completion by end of May(Optional)


4
Summarize Li Keng Wong’s immigration experience.
Completion by end of February
Would you like to go to space camp?
Completion by end of May(Optional)


5
Explain how Rebecca and Abigail Bates became known as the "Army of Two.".
Completion by end of February
Convince your family to go on vacation to a rain forest or a tundra biome.
Completion by end of May(Optional)


6
Explain why what we know about Otzi the Iceman is important.
Completion by end of February
Is raising wild animals in captivity a good idea?
Completion by end of May(Optional)


NOTE-Grades 3-6
2015-2016 School Year-In grades 3 - 6, online PARCC practice has been a focus. The benchmarks above may be used as teaching tools along with the online PARCC practice. (This includes the Narrative, Literary Analysis, and Research Simulation writing tasks on Google)




Scituate Common Core Performance Writing Tasks K - 6

Purpose:

The SPS Performance Writing Tasks should be completed after each unit of study during the school year (see schedule of implementation). One writing task is used for each of the three text types or genres in the Common Core Frameworks: narrative, informative/explanatory, and opinion/argument. Performance Writing Tasks also provide opportunities for teachers to share lessons and instructional strategies, as well as use data to inform their instruction. Performance Writing Tasks will be a culminating product after each unit of study.

Student Performance on the Writing Tasks:

Students’ performance on the SPS Writing Task provides important data about students’ progress toward meeting the writing standards at each grade level. Results will be used by teachers to assess students’ progress and identify which students are in need of additional interventions. Results also can be used by teachers to identify “best practices” in the teaching of writing.

Protocol for Giving SPS Writing Tasks:

  • All teachers at a grade level should give the SPS Writing Task at the end of the unit. This allows the students to acquire the skills needed to complete the performance writing task. In addition, it allows flexibility for teacher scheduling.

  • Teachers should assess the students’ first finished draft after the graphic organizer. This ensures that teachers are assessing students’ independent work and students have not revised their work with teacher support. After scoring the first finished draft, however, teachers may choose to have students follow the writing process to turn this first finished draft into a more complete writing piece.

  • Students should receive all accommodations that are outlined in 504 plan and IEPs.

  • 2015-2016 School Year-In grades 3 - 6, PARCC practice has been a focus online. The benchmarks may be used as teaching tools along with the online PARCC practice.

  • 2015-2016 K – 2 teachers will administer the benchmarks for informative and opinion. The narrative task should be administered in 2016-2017. Note: In administering the assessments K-2 teachers may provide several shorter sessions for students to complete the task, not to exceed three hours.
  • Teachers should use one of the graphic organizers in the SPS Writing Task packet. Graphic organizers are not specific to the Writing Task and should be used throughout the year for the corresponding text types. (For example, if students will use the “expository pillar” for the informative/explanatory writing task, they should be using the “expository pillar” throughout the year for informative/explanatory writing.)

  • The Writing Task will be assessed using the rubric provided on the Wiki. The Writing Tasks Rubrics reflect the standards from the Massachusetts curriculum framework for the given grade level.